Horse with equine herpes raises concerns; HITS allowed to continue

A horse at the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit show tested positive for Equine Herpes Virus or EHV-1 this week, sparking concerns from state and show officials.

By Carlos E. MedinaCorrespondent

A horse at the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit show tested positive for equine herpes virus (EHV-1) this week, sparking concerns from state and show officials.The horse started showing symptoms of the virus earlier this week and was taken to the University of Florida for tests. The horse showed muscle weakness and a high temperature — the main symptoms of the potentially fatal illness, which affects the neurological system of the animal.Despite the positive test, the Florida Department of Agriculture decided to allow the competition, which runs through March 17, to continue and did not restrict horses from entering or exiting the facility.It did issue a quarantine on the tent stable where the affected horse was housed. About 50 other horses in the tent will be kept in the stable area for at least 21 days.If more cases of the virus are discovered, the state has the power to stop allowing horses from entering the property, effectively ending the show, according to information from the state."The state of Florida has been here all day long. We have made the tent very secure. The horse show is still going on, and the horses are healthy," said Tom Struzzieri, the founder of the show circuit, which started in Gainesville in the early 1980s.The affected horse, which was on the property for about a week, came from a Marion County farm, according to the Department of Agriculture.That farm, which was not named, is also under quarantine, the release stated.HITS, or Horse Shows in the Sun, has expanded to other sites across the country. The Ocala show is one of the biggest.While EHV-1 is contagious between horses and can be transmitted through the air via sneezing and coughing, it does not affect humans. Humans, however, can spread the virus from horse to horse if their hands are not sanitized.Feed and water buckets also are culprits in the spread of the illness.There is a vaccine for the virus, but it is not always effective.The horse that tested positive was responding to treatment and is in stable condition at UF, Struzzieri said.Among the 50 horses in quarantine were two belonging to Karley Hopwood of Canada. Hopwood, 19, was upset about not having Doori and Encore available to compete, but was also worried about their health."I'm disappointed. They should have their vaccinations, and putting other horses at risk is very reckless," she said.While the state has not issued any restrictions on the majority of the horses at the show, at least one other Florida horse show has announced it will not allow horses from Ocala.The Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, which runs from January through April, made the announcement Friday, shortly after the positive test was announced. That show is now requiring a health certificate for all horses before they enter the property.Struzzieri said he realized the positive test in Ocala may keep some competitors away, but he hopes the show will continue for those who want to attend."We had a meeting this morning with all the trainers, and many of the owners also came. We talked about good biosecurity and how to keep their horse safe and healthy," he said.During the nine-week circuit, thousands of horses come and go from Post Time Farm, the site of the show. On an average weekend, there can be more than 2,000 horses on the property and more than 10,000 over the course of the show."People are being very cautious right now," Struzzieri said. "This is a big disappointment to us. Until this happened, it was one of our best years ever."